Method and apparatus for cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinning equipment

ABSTRACT

A method of, and apparatus for, cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinning equipment, wherein the air flow through the spinning rotor upon the occurrence of a yarn rupture condition is reversed. Fibers are detached from the wall of the spinning rotor by virtue of the reverse flow of such air current, the fibers placed in a state of suspension and then removed, preferably by suction, from the spinning rotor.

United StatesPatent 1 Na el June 19 1973 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR[56] References Cited CLEANING THE SPINNING ROTORS 0F UNITED STATESPATENTS OPEN-END SPINNING EQUIPMENT 3,524,312 8/1970 Landwehrkamp57/58.89' [75] Inventor: Ernst Nagel weisslingen, 3,597,9ll 3/1971SChlltkneCt 57/56 Switzerland 3,543,500 12/1970 Bancroft et all 57158.89

[73] Assignee: Luwa AG, Zurich, Switzerland P im r Exami r Donald EWatkins [22] Filed Jan 24 1972 Attorney-Werner W. Kleeman [2!] Appl.No.: 220,325 [57] ABSTRACT A method of, and apparatus for, cleaning thespinning [30] Foreign Applicatiun priority Data rotors of open-endspinning equipment, wherein the air Jan 29 1971 Switzerland 1376/71 flowthrough the spinning rotor upon the occurrence of a yarn rupturecondition is reversed. Fibers are detached from the wall of the spinningrotor by virtue of 7 l5 U S Cl 57/58 5 g z g the reverse flow of such ancurrent, the fibers placed [58] Field of Search i 5 58 89 in a state ofsuspension and then removed, preferably 25 by suction, from the spinningrotor.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB Jul? 9573 smurf:

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SPINNING ROTORS OF OPEN-ENDSPINNING EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to a new and improved method of, and apparatus for, cleaning thespinning rotors or turbines of open-end spinning equipment.

During open-end rotor spinning processes individual fibers are deliveredby an airstream to the fiber collecting surface or grooves of thespinning rotor or turbine. At that location the fibers are arranged in amanner well known in this particular art, deposited and spun into a yarnwhich can be withdrawn and wound in suitable form upon a yarn carrier.

The delivery of fibers must be interrupted as quickly as possible uponthe occurrence of yarn rupture in order to prevent collecting anexcessive quantity of fibers in the spinning rotor which, under thesecircumstances, can no longer be withdrawn. However, as a practicalmatter a rather large and uniformly distributed residual quantity offibers deposit upon the fiber collecting surfaces of the spinning rotorwhich prior to again beginning the spinning operation must be removed.Although for most open-end spinning equipment presently used-on anoperational basis removal of the fibers is undertaken manually byopening the spinning rotor and suitably cleaning the fiber collectingsurfaces, still several techniques have already become known in this artby means of which rotor cleaning is carried out automatically throughthe use of more or less suitable auxiliary means, such as brushes. Stillthe known techniques have the common drawback that in the long run it isimpossible to achieve a complete removal of the fibers from the spinningrotor and, in particular, fibers which may possibly be located in theyarn withdrawal channel cannot be engaged and removed. In thoseinstances it is only possible to again resort to cumbersome manualcleaning operations before the spinning operation can be. againcontinued.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, from what has been explained aboveit will be seen that a real need still exists in the art for techniquesand apparatus for cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinningequipment in a manner not associated with the aforementioned drawbacksand limitations existing with the prior art techniques and apparatusconstructions. Hence, a primary objective of the present invention isdirected at cleaning such spinning rotors of open-end spinning equipmentin a man ner satisfactorily fulfilling the existing need in the art andnot associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of thestate-of-the-art techniques and apparatus constructions.

Yet a further significant object of the present invention relates to anovel method of, and apparatus for, effectively, reliably andefficiently cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinning equipment.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the method aspects of this development are manifested by thefeatures that upon occurrence of yarn rupture the direction of flow ofthe air current through the spinning rotor is reversed, and by means ofthe reverse flow of the air current detaching the fibers from the wallof the spinning rotor, placing such fibers in a suspended state andremoving such fibers from the spinning rotor, preferably by suction.

Through the practice of the inventive method the complete engagement andremoval of the fibers which remain upon interruption of the spinningoperation is achieved in that, the spinning air current which originallyalso served to infeed or deliver the fibers is reversed in directionwhile maintaining as greatly as possible conformity in its flow path andconsequently the transport of fibers is again, so to speak, rearwardlyrolled-up. By virtue of this procedure the most favorable conditions areprovided for ensuring that all unde sired fibers are again engaged, inother words that there is carried out a sufficient cleaning action,since the fibers have continuously been located at such flow paths andnever externally thereof. Furthermore, this inventive method cansignificantly be practiced with as few as possible additional means ordevices and, therefore, from the standpoint of economy, servicing andmaintenance requirements is extremely advantageous.

As already indicated above the development of this invention is alsoconcerned with a new and improved apparatus for the performance of theaforesaid method for cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinningequipment. The inventive apparatus comprises a spinning rotor having airthroughpassage openings, the spinning rotor being arranged in a housing.There is also provided a fiber infeed or delivery channel as well as ayarn withdrawal tube or conduit. According to important aspects of thisinvention means are provided for the purpose of reversing the flow ofair through the spinning rotor.

Now in accordance with a preferred physical manifestation of the presentinvention the flow through the spinning rotor is reversed, but with thesame direction of rotor rotation. In this way the spinning rotor can bebraked without requiring additional brake mechanisms. The kinetic energyof the rotating spinning rotor is thus reclaimed and employed forflushing and cleaning the fiber collecting surfaces. An additionalexpenditure of energy for obtaining a suction action, as such was thecase for the previously discussed prior art techniques, is at mostlimited to taking-over the flushing flow which, so to speak, isdelivered free by the spinning rotor and the removal thereof into asuitable collecting container or the direct uniting thereof with thespinningand/or cooling air current present in any case at machinesequipped with spinning rotor units. In the last-mentioned situationfiltering-out the fiber material is undertaken centrally for eachmachine or in fact centrally for each group of machines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forth above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a preferred constructional form ofopen-end spinning equipment using a spinning rotor;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a spinning rotorwith air conveying elements constructed as blades or buckets and with anassociated blade regulating or adjustment mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a spinning rotor with its air conveyingelements in the form of buckets, viewed substantially along the linellIIll of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the lengthwise axisof the spinning rotor of FIG. 2, with an arrangement of the bladestructure for regulating the desired quantity of air flow;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view through a spinning rotor employing asecond construction of air conveying elements; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken perpendicular to the lengthwise axis ofa spinning rotor having two groups of air throughpassage openings andemploying a further construction of adjustment mechanism for the airconveying elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawings, in FIG. 1 there is illustrated by way of example a preferredconstructional form of inventive open-end spinning equipment comprisinga housing 2 containing a spinning rotor or turbine 4, the spinning rotor4 embodying a driven rotating rotor component 6 and a yarn removal orwithdrawal component 8. The rotating rotor component 6 is supported bymeans of its shaft 10 in a bearing arrangement l2. Shaft 10 possesses ahollow construction and communicates in air flow relationship theinterior 52 of the spinning rotor 10 via a support 14 with a suctionconduit or line 16. A controllable slide valve unit 18 is arranged atthe mouth of the support 14.

A fiber delivery or infeed conduit 20 piercingly extends through thehousing 2 and serves to conduct the spinning fibers delivered from asuitable fiber separation mechanism 24 into the rotating component 6 ofthe spinning rotor 4. The separation mechanism 24, dey livering theschematically depicted fiber arrangement or structure 26, embodies inknown manner a delivery or feed cylinder 28 and an output or combingcylinder 30. The yarn 32 formed in the spinning rotor 4 is withdrawnfrom the yarn removal or withdrawal component 8 by means of withdrawalcylinders 34. The yarn 32 is then wound onto a spool 36 or the like.

Continuing, it will be understood that throughflow openings 38 arearranged at the rotor wall at a regular spacing from one another and atthe same diameter of such rotor. The air freed of fibers can be removedfrom the interior 52 of the spinning rotor 4 by means of thesethroughflow openings 38. At the outlet side of the rotor 4 there areassociated with such air throughflow opening 38 air conveying devices,here in the form of buckets or blades 40. In the arrangement of FIGS. 2and 3 these blades or buckets 40 can be regulated by means of anadjustment mechanism 42 in such a manner that the conveying direction ofthe rotor 4 with the same direction of rotation can be reversed.

The course of the finished spun yarn 32 is monitored by a yarn feeler 44which responds to eventual yarn ruptures. For instance, the yarn feeler44 triggers an electrical signal which can be delivered by a line 46 toa suitable signal evaluation device 48. This evaluation device 48 iselectrically connected on the one hand with the yarn separationmechanism 24 and, on the other hand, with the adjustment mechanism 42for the rotor blades or buckets 40, and furthermore with the slide valve18 of the suction line 16 and as not illustrated with a release ortrigger mechanism for interrupting the drive of the unit at which theyarn rupture has occurred, such as the drive 150 schematically depictedin FIG. 1.

The spinning rotor 4' illustrated in FIG. 2 will be seen to comprise aprotruding annular or ring-shaped channel 50 which is separated from theinterior compartment or internal space 52 of the rotor 4 by an airpermeable yet not fiber permeable filter-54. This filter or sieve 54possesses a fiber deposit trough 56.

Bores 38' distributively arranged at a regular spacing from one anotherover the entire periphery of the rotor 4' are provided at the basesurface of the annular channel 50. A respective cage 60 is mounted inthese bores 38, which cage is rotatable about an axis 62 parallel to therotor axis 64. Each cage 60 possesses a cylindrical component 66 whichis mounted in the bore 38. Two side flaps 68 which extend parallel toone another and in the direction of the axis 62 merge with thecylindrical component or portion 66, as shown.

A rotor blade 40 which can not only be simply curved as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, rather also spatially curved, is pivotably mounted bymeans of a pin 70, the axis of which extends perpendicular to therotational axis 62 of the associated rotor bucket or blade 40. The pin70 extends laterally from the rotor blade 40 and at the side facing thering-shaped orannular channel 50 possesses a lengthwise extending notchor groove 72 in which there is fixed one end of a blade spring 74. Theother end of this blade spring 74 is guided in a protruding nose member76 of one of the side flaps or walls 68, and wherein the spacing betweennose member 76 and the notch 72 is chosen such that the blade spring 74is slightly arched or domed, as shown. By means of the blade spring 74the rotor blade 40', during each blade switching or reversing operationis forced into its terminal positions, respectively shown in solid andphantom lines in FIG. 3, and fixedly retained thereat.

A pin member 80 extends parallel to the axis of the pin 70 from therotor blade 40' towards the outside in the direction of and at theregion of a switching ring 82 displaceably mounted at the wall of thehousing 2 containing the spinning rotor 4. The pin member 80 is not incontact with the switching ring 82 in both terminal positions of suchswitching ring. The switching ring 82 is operatively connected indriving relationship, through the agency of a lever member 84, with ablade switching or reversing device 86 which is operatively connectedvia the evaluation device 48 with the yarn feeler 44.

By rotating the cages 60 containing the rotor blades 1' or buckets 40'about the axes 62 it is possible to regu late the quantity of air whichis to be conveyed through the spinning rotor 4. As best seen byreferring to FIG. 4 with increasing angle a and rearwardly curvedbuckets or blades the conveyed air quantity for the rotor increases. Ifthe angle a is adjusted so as to be negative at the other side (notshown), then, the conveyed air quantity for the rotor decreases.

During the spinning operation the fiber structure or arrangement 26which is delivered to the separation mechanism 24 is broken up intoindividual fibers and by means of the fiber transport or conveying airis delivered through the fiber delivery or infeed conduit 20 to therotor 4 or 4' respectively, spun together, and leaves in the form of ayarn 32 at the yarn withdrawal conduit or tube, then to be wound up atthe spool 28.

Upon the occurrence of yarn rupture the yarn feeler 44 delivers a signalto the evaluation device 48 which causes the delivery of fiber to theseparation mechanism 24 to be immediately interrupted and similarlyensures for the immediate interruption of the drive of the spinningrotor 4 or 4 respectively. At the same time the interior 52 of the rotor4 or 4' respectively is operatively connected with the suction conduitor line 16 by opening the slide valve 18 and the blade switching ring 82is displaced by the blade switching device 86 into the position depictedin phantom lines (FIG. 2) which, in turn, causes pivoting of the bucketsor blades 40' into the position depicted in phantom lines in FIG. 3through the agency of the pin member 80. Consequently, the rotor 4' withthe same sense of rotation conveys air out of the housing 2 into itsinterior 52, in other words in the opposite direction than prevailedduring the spinning operation.

The air flow through the rotor 4 now extends completely and in flow lineconformity in the opposite direction from the direction prevailingduring the prior spinning operation and thus detaches the fibers whichare still lying in the fiber trough 56 from the rotor wall and placessuch detached fibers, together with the fibers which are still arrivingvia the fiber delivery conduit, into a state of suspension, so thatthese fibers can arrive through the agency of the hollow shaft and thesupport 14 at the suction conduit or line 16 and at that location can beremoved. Owing to the air conveying action in the opposite direction therotor 4' is slowly braked and brought to standstill.

In order to obtain a more pronounced reverse flushing during theoccurrence of a yarn rupture the possibility exists of briefly delayingrelease of the connection with the rotor drive and to initiate brakingof the rotor only after having obtained the complete quantity offlushing air flow.

Prior to again placing the spinning rotor 4 or 4', re spectively, intooperation the buckets or blades 40 are again placed into their spinningposition by means of the evaluation device 48 and the slide valve 18 isclosed, so that the connection to the suction line or conduit 16 isinterrupted.

Of course, it would be possible to achieve a reversal of the flowthrough the rotor also by changing the direction of rotation of therotor after successfully braking same. To this end, there isschematically depicted in FIG. 1 a reversible drive motor 150.

The spinning rotor 90 illustrated in FIG. 5 is provided at its wall withbores 92 arranged at a regular or uniform spacing from one another atthe same rotor diameter. Insert members 94 are rotatably mounted inthese bores 92, the insert members 94 possessing inclined extendingbores 96. The insert members 94 are coupled with one another by anysuitable means in such a fashion that they can simultaneously rotate,and thus the bores 96 can change their position relative to theperipheral direction of the rotor. Depending upon whether the boresextend from the interior of the rotor 90 in the direction of rotation oropposite to the direction of rotation of such rotor 90, such will conveyair out of the rotor interior towards the outside or in the reversedirection. By regulating the angle between the bores 96 and thecorresponding peripheral direction, analogous to the discussion of theconstruction of FIG. 4, it is possible to adjust the air quantity whichpasses through the rotor 90.

Continuing, it is to be understood that in the wall of the spinningrotor illustrated in the arrangement of FIG. 6, there are alternatelyarranged at regular spacing from one another at the same rotor diametertwo groups of air throughpassage openings 102 and 104 respectively. Theair throughpassage openings 102 are designed such that the spinning:rotor 100 conveys air out of its interior towards the outside in thedirection of rotation marked by the arrow, whereas the airthroughpassage openings 104 are designed such that when such areeffectual, air will be conveyed from the surrounding or ambientenvironment of the rotor 100 into its interior. The air throughpassageopenings 104 are covered in the arrangement of FIG. 6 by a suitableclosure member, such as the rotatable diaphragm or stop 106, so thatthey are ineffectual. The diaphragm 106 is operatively connected with aspring-loaded dis placement mechanism 108 with which cooperates acentrifugal force lever 110. Upon the occurrence of yarn rupture and bymeans of the trigger mechanism 48 controlled by the yarn feeler 44 theconnection to the drive of the rotor 100 is released. Consequently, thero tational speed of the rotor drops and the centrifugal force levermember 110 changes its position until it triggers the displacementmechanism 108. This displaces the diaphragm 106 insuch a manner that theair throughpassage openings 104 are now effective and the airthroughpassage openings 102 are closed, so that now air will be conveyedfrom the ambient or surrounding region of the rotor 100 into itsinterior. Consequently, the rotor will be further braked and finallybrought to standstill. Upon again placing into operation the spinningrotor 100, the displacement mechanism 108 is again loaded by thestarting torque or moment and the diaphragm 106 is displaced in such away that the air throughpassage openings 1102 are once again operable,so that the rotor 100 conveys air from its interior towards the outsideand the spinning operation can be continued.

The removal of fibers following yarn rupture can also be carried out bythe fiber delivery channel 20 or by means of the yarn withdrawalchannel. During yarn withdrawal through the rotor shaft removal of thefibers during yarn rupture can also take place by a suction pipe or tubewhich is arranged overhead.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning the spinning rotors of openend spinningequipment, comprising the steps of reversing the air flow through thespinning rotor upon the occurrence of a yarn rupture condition,detaching flbers from the wall of the spinning; rotor by virtue of thereverse flow of such air current, placing the fibers in a state ofsuspension and removing such suspended fibers from the spinning rotor.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspended fibers areremoved from the spinning rotor by means of suction.

3. An apparatus for cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinningequipment, comprising a housing, a spinning rotor equipped with airthroughpassage openings arranged within said housing, a fiber deliverychannel for delivering fibers to the spinning rotor, yarn withdrawalmeans for removing the spun yarn from the spinning rotor, and means forreversing the flow of air through the spinning rotor upon the occurrenceof yarn rupture.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reversingthe air flow through the spinning rotor comprises mechanism forreversing the direction of rotation of said spinning rotor.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reversingthe air flow through the spinning rotor is adjustable and provided atsaid spinning rotor.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said adjustable meanscomprises air conveying elements provided for the throughpassageopenings for the air flowing through the wall of the spinning rotor.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said air conveyingelements comprise rotor blades.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, said adjustable means includingan adjustment ring, said adjust ment ring further including mechanismfor fixing said adjustment ring in one of two terminal positions.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means forreversing the air flow comprises two groups of air throughpassageopenings, and closure means for selectably blocking one group of saidair throughpassage openings.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said closure meanscomprises a diaphragm.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, further including means fordisplacing said diaphragm, said diaphragm displacing means responding tocentrifugal force and inertia forces during starting of the spinningrotor.

13. The apparatus .as defined in claim 3, wherein said fiber deliverychannel defines a suction channel for sucking-off the fibers.

1. A method for cleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinningequipment, comprising the steps of reversing the air flow through thespinning rotor upon the occurrence of a yarn rupture condition,detaching fibers from the wall of the spinning rotor by virtue of thereverse flow of such air current, placing the fibers in a state ofsuspension and removing such suspended fibers from the spinning rotor.2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the suspended fibers areremoved from the spinning rotor by means of suction.
 3. An apparatus forcleaning the spinning rotors of open-end spinning equipment, comprisinga housing, a spinning rotor equipped with air throughpassage openingsarranged within said housing, a fiber delivery channel for deliveringfibers to the spinning rotor, yarn withdrawal means for removing thespun yarn from the spinning rotor, and means for reversing the flow ofair through the spinning rotor upon the occurrence of yarn rupture. 4.The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reversingthe air flow through the spinning rotor comprises mechanism forreversing the direction of rotation of said spinning rotor.
 5. Theapparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reversing theair flow through the spinning rotor is adjustable and provided at saidspinning rotor.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein saidadjustable means comprises air conveying elements provided for thethroughpassage openings for the air flowing through the wall of thespinning rotor.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said airconveying elements comprise rotor blades.
 8. The apparatus as defined inclaim 6, further including insert members having bores, said airconveying elements being arranged at an inclination to the axis of thespinning rotor in said bores.
 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 6,said adjustable means including an adjustment ring, said adjustment ringfurther including mechanism for fixing said adjustment ring in one oftwo terminal positions.
 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, whereinsaid means for reversing the air flow comprises two groups of airthroughpassage openings, and closure means for selectably blocking onegroup of said air throughpassage openings.
 11. The apparatus as definedin claim 10, wherein said closure means comprises a diaphragm.
 12. Theapparatus as defined in claim 11, further including means for displacingsaid diaphragm, said diaphragm displacing means responding tocentrifugal force and inertia forces during starting of the spinningrotor.
 13. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said fiberdelivery channel defines a suction channel for sucking-off the fibers.